When Two Become One
by TheKyttin13
Summary: The girls enter their junior year of high school, but this time it's Miley who's unsure of the outcome. Is the shadowy figure a friend, or a foe? And why does it seem like she's met it before? Sequel to Never Give In. AU and Liley. ABANDONED
1. Summer's Eve

**_A/N: Congratulations, readers of my FanFics! Today (about a week since my last login?), I give to you...THE SEQUEL. The Sequel to Never Give In is here! Yes! And I realize that this chapter is very short, but it's more like a prologue or a foreword than anything. I'll still call it a chapter; it's near 2000 words. I won't be responding to reviews posted on the final chapter of Never Give In, but I will DEFINITELY continue responding to my rabid readers and their questions or comments as they come. So, for those who enjoyed Never Give In, enjoy it's sequel, When Two Become One!_**

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><p>Chapter 1: Summer's Eve<p>

_Something big is about to happen. Something neither of us are ready for. Something that will change our lives. Be ready, Miley. Be ready for anything. _

It was so very chilling for her to relive that moment that had happened several weeks ago. That moment in time, when Miley Stewart had been relaxing at the beach, tanning her body, stretched out on a dry beach towel, enjoying the caress of the gentle breeze as it tiptoed across her figure, the gentle aroma of her amazing girlfriend wafting along the air currents. She had been peaceful lying beside the blonde that day, peaceful and calm and pleased and feeling nothing but positive energy.

_Shame our summer's halfway over,_ she had commented. It never seemed to last long enough. Then again, it was even shorter given that she was sitting in her room with school starting the next morning, reminiscing.

_Well, it's not that bad. I mean, you'll be there to help me, and I'll be there to help you, right?_

Miley had laughed lightly at this, seeing her girlfriend's cheeks growing pink. _Help? I might have to carry you this year like I did last year._

_Carry me?_ she had asked incredulously. _I never asked you to carry me anywhere or through anything, Miley._

The blonde had sat up then, looking irritated and hurt, but the expression had melted when she saw Miley's gentle smile in contradiction of her accusing tone.

_I know that. You know that. But my primary goal isn't to carry you. It's to love you._

They had kissed, but their passion was so fiery that they migrated back to the car, then back to her girlfriend's home where they spent the rest of the afternoon making love to one another, losing count of the orgasms and falling asleep, exhausted and exhilarated, in one another's arms. And as they'd drifted off, she had said the fated words to Miley in a mumbled voice:

_Be prepared for anything, Miley my love._

Her girlfriend's words had been kind. They had been truthful and supportive and provocative in regard to the mind's eye in what the future might hold.

The words on the letter were icy and menacing. Nothing like her blonde-haired lover's were.

_I can't tell you who I am. I can't tell you where I am. I can't tell you anything, really, other than that I know who you are and where you live. I know that you are Miley Stewart, attending Seaview High School. You and I are...connected, to say the least. Your father Robbie works and slaves to provide for you, but there's nothing he can do in the end because the government steals away his hard-earned money and leaves him with very little to provide for you, let alone himself. It's pitiful, Miley. I...I hate knowing that your situation is easily fixable and yet I do nothing. I...can't reach out because he will push me away. But...you're about sixteen or seventeen now, right? I've been thinking long and hard for a great while and I've decided that eventually, you and Robbie will face a great change, whether he likes it or not. Something big is about to happen. Something neither of us are ready for. Something that will change our lives. Be ready, Miley. Be ready for anything._

The person, with a semi-untidy scrawl and a light lilting slant in his characters, had signed "RJS" at the bottom. Miley didn't have the strength or the will-power to show the letter to her father. It was the first she'd ever received from such a cartographer.

_P.S.: I have a feeling that you will be receiving quite the Christmas present this year. You should like it, if nothing else. And, if we could keep this just between us for now, I'd really appreciate it. Robbie might freak out a bit if he read this, don't you think? I know this must be creepy, getting a letter from me of all people, but you deserve to know about who you are._

Miley was both eager to hear from the writer again and dreading his next letter. This seemed exactly like what a stalker or a rapist would do and say, like some pedophile found her attractive and wanted to sweet-talk his way into her pants. Sorry, dude, but there happened to be a fiery blonde-headed teenager standing in the way of everything that would hurt the brunette, even so much as one chocolate-colored curl.

A sigh. The room seemed to shrink a bit in trepidation and foreboding. Something indeed was going to happen; Miley could feel it in the air. There was an electric tension in the sagging room.

The ceiling creaked. Even at seven in the evening, the place seemed creepy. Already the police sirens were wailing in the distance. Probably just another stabbing or a gunshot to the head. Just another hooker. Happens every day.

"Miley, you alright?"

Her father had poked his head in, the stubble on his chin and down his neck standing out against his tanned skin, his dirty blonde hair hanging loosely around his ears. Miley had to smile at her father; even when he knew something was wrong, he still had an understanding and compassionate twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Just thinking about the summer and school, daddy."

He sighed, leaning against the doorway, crossing one jean-clad leg over the other, socks clean but worn from use. "Seems like it went by too fast, huh, darlin'?"

Miley nodded, smiling a little. "I was just remembering the day that Lilly and I went to the beach together. It was such a nice day, and everything was so peaceful."

Robbie chuckled. "Got some first day jitters, I reckon."

"Maybe," Miley said, tipping her head lightly, attempting to assuage her father with an excuse rather than the truth. It seemed to work, for he winked and stood up.

"Just stay calm, Miley. Come play some cards with me while the night's young."

And they played all sorts of card games by candlelight, glad that they were alive and with each other and not alone or on the streets. They had each other. Even if the power was never on, it didn't mean they couldn't enjoy what they had.

And Miley was content and soothed after the laughing and joking that she and her father always shared, the bond between them as strong as ever. They knew when something was wrong or something had changed. Robbie even knew her daughter so well as to be comforting and supportive, even so long after the rape in June.

The rape. In June.

Miley sat bolt-upright in her small bed. Tomorrow would be the first day of school. Which would mean that Jake would be there.

Holy. Fuck.

"D-daddy?"

Floorboards creaked. He was at her door surprisingly quickly, wearing an old white shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants. "What's wrong, Miley?"

"Daddy...tomorrow's the first day of my Junior year."

"Nervous?"

She curled into a ball. "Daddy...Jake gets out of jail tonight. He'll be at the school tomorrow with me."

She could almost feel the temperature of the room fluctuate as Robbie's anger flared. "Stay away from that trash, Miley."

The brunette nodded. "But...what if he comes to apologize?"

"Turn away. Don't listen. He'll only end up trying it again, no matter whether he's gay or straight."

Miley was silent for a moment. In a choked voice, she finally managed to string words together, still having some mild difficulty during stressful situations even this long after the car crash.

"Is...is that what you think of Lilly?"

Silence. Anger was replaced by regret. "Miley, no, that's not what I meant at all," he said quietly. "Lilly's different. You can't trust us boys. We don't always think with our brains. Lilly's got a good family. Strict, sure. Harsh, agreed. But she's got good upbringing. She has a brain and uses it, Miley. If she goes back to how she used to be, I'll eat my hat, but I think she's changed for the better."

Miley nodded. She believed her father could see her by the light of the moon outside the window. "Thanks, daddy. You always help me so much."

"No problem, darlin'. Now get some rest. You've got a long day tomorrow."

Miley nodded. "Goodnight, daddy."

"Goodnight, Miley."

With that, he shuffled back down the hall and into his room while Miley pulled the covers and sheets up to her chin. Lilly would be there tomorrow. Her favorite blonde-haired girl. The girl she could always count on. Yeah, Lilly would watch out for her. The blonde always did. Miley smiled. That girl. Always managed to get her heart racing just by looking at her with her adorable, loving eyes. Miley loved that look because Lilly was the only person who gave it to her and she was the only one to receive it. And Miley fell asleep with the image of Lilly plastered to the forefront of her mind's eye.

Outside her window, a shadowed figure rested his head gently against the glass. It'd known exactly where to find the Stewarts. Exactly where they'd been when it'd last seen them. It sighed, placing a black, glove-covered hand on the glass, gazing longingly at the girl in the bed and out into what it could see of the hall where Robbie had disappeared to. It knew they were sleeping. It knew it was trespassing. But it did not have malicious intentions. It had no interest in becoming like Jake Ryan, only interested in its own pleasure and not the well-being of others. No, this shadow was interested in the family because it truly wanted to help them. It felt its heart skip a beat when it saw the letter on Miley's nightstand, folded and inside the envelope it'd addressed to her, but tangible and in sight. Miley had read what it'd said to her. She knew, then, that it was planning something.

A tear dripped down its cheek. "Goodnight, Miley. Goodnight, Robbie," it whispered forlornly. It slowly drifted away from the window and back out to its black car down the street, driving away slowly and insecurely, distraught with guilt and sorrow at what'd happened to them. It had vowed upon writing the letter to Miley that something needed to be done, but now it was truly convinced. It would do everything in its power to help the struggling family, even if it ended up dead or exiled in the process. Nobody deserved to suffer like that, ever. Especially when it had the ability to change their situation. Determination set in.

_I will help them. No matter what it takes._

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><p><em><strong>So...yeah. Questions? Comments? Then push the pretty button below. I love all you guys and hope you'll stick with me for another story; this one's gonna get more rocky than the first. ~Kyttin<strong>  
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	2. Broken

**_EDIT: THIS IS NOW CHAPTER 2 WITH THE COMMENTS FOR CHAPTER 3.  
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**_I'M SORRY! I FUCKED UP! This chapter goes BEFORE Chapter 2!_**

**_A/N: I'm an idiot and an ass for taking so long to sit the fuck down and write this fucking chapter, but now that I'm fucking done, I hope everyone's fucking happy!_**

**_Cursing aside...it's reply time!_**

**_MsRosalieHale: I'm glad I've kept you in the dark. Mean as that sounds, it means that you'll enjoy the story all the more. No new clues given in this chapter, but I'm moving closer and closer to revealing who the shadow is. Muahahahaha! :D_**

**_Big23Marie: Leaning toward her brother, you say...? Hmmm...interesting guess... And since you missed Lilly so bad (and since I'm nostalgic and sympathize with this blonde more than the brunette), I brought her back. It's still Miley-centric, but you'll see Lilly reappear more than once. :)_**

**_SGM: It's not written to be a horror, but I've experimented in that genre as well. Kinda interesting, really. The title is supposed to connect to multiple ideas and/or people. Keep your head up; there's plenty of time to guess who, or what, I'm referencing. I'm sorry I took so long to update, but I hope you and the rest of FFn will forgive me for the disappearance._**

**_BrokenFantasy: You've missed nothing. Believe me. This is the way I try and write my stories: they're like...interlocking geometric puzzles. I left some loose ends with Never Give In (which I notice you reviewed and I thank you for, by the way), but I'll not give them away, as I'll tie them up in this story. These first few chapters may seem quick and short, but it's only because I'm EAGER to get to the meat of the story. It's going to be more...well...since it's Miley, you'll see more emotion and sentiment here, I suppose...and plenty of detail. So, look forward to the raw emotion and such, since you seemed to enjoy it. I only try to please the readers as I spin my stories ever-so-delicately. :)_**

**_dessie77: (Regarding Chapter 1) Glad you liked Never Give In and I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time waiting for this chapter. It's summer now, and since I've graduated high-school and turned eighteen, I'll have more time to devote to writing, if only my inspiration works with me. :)  
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**_Long reviews makes a happy Kyttin. I hope I didn't miss anyone. Thanks to VividSolitude, Truscott (welcome back, girl!), ChocolateYuriObssesser (welcome back to you too!), iliketurtlesctfxc, SGM (welcome back, dude!), BrokenFantasy666, and dessie77 for the +watchies, and thanks to VividSolitude, ChocolateYuriObssesser, BrokenFantasy666, and dessie77 for the +favies. It means the world to me guys, and I'm so, so, so, so, SO sorry that I didn't get back to writing sooner. It's been a helluva couple months with AP testing, final exams, a break-up and a new beau and all...but my problems are mine and shouldn't affect my writing, even if some of what Lilly says near the end is the same as what my ex-girlfriend said to me during our relationship. I'm sorry for the delay, and now..._**

**_Without further ado, Chapter 3 of When Two Become One.  
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><p>Chapter 2: Broken<p>

Friday was hell, no doubt.

School was different. Miley had walked into her first period, where she somehow managed to sit beside her beautiful, blonde-headed girlfriend, who once again looked bored and sleepy like she'd been up all night.

"Hey, Lilly," she'd called gently.

The blonde stirred enough to mumble a choked, grunting "hey" in response but went back to resting her forehead on her crossed forearms as they rested gently on the surface of the desk. Miley twined her hands together and squeezed them gently between her knees, feeling the taut, coarse material of her flare-legged jeans against the backs of her hands. She had dressed to appear pleasant and relaxed, much unlike her past-year's role as head of the ASB and student council, roles which she had relinquished to a much better candidate, a take-charge girl with determination, grit, and a high price on her virginity, "Saint" Sarah, who'd always been seen as the goody-twoshoes of the school, who always dotted her I's and crossed her T's; but while she was very giving and generous to all, she was also very closed off about herself and her life, especially with regard to sexual activity; she believed that being celibate was the only way to be pure and holy in the Lord's eyes and vowed to remain a loyal virgin until marriage, though she did not preach her beliefs for courtesy and fear of being disrespectful to other religious groups. Sarah was a good girl in Miley's opinion, and the brunette had fought long and hard against the other candidates and their spokespersons to put Sarah in charge, as the giving, courteous girl would never give in to possible corruption and violation of her beliefs or the beliefs of the school, let alone go near breaking a rule under the grounds of "presidential privilege."

Unperturbed, and feeling much relieved about not having to support and entertain the school (as she'd given up all sports except that of soccer), she was able to focus more on her studies and her responsibilities to herself, her teachers, her father, and most importantly her devoted girlfriend.

Miley smiled. _Girlfriend. _Now _that _was a word she liked to be able to call Lilly. It fit perfectly for the blonde-haired bombshell.

Bombshell?

Yes, Lilly was gorgeous. Miley could not deny her affection and devotion to the girl, though Lilly's looks were only the tip of the iceberg that contained the reasons for Miley's love. Miley believed that she would have been devoted and dedicated to Lilly unconditionally whether she was skinny, sun-kissed, and sexy, just as she already was, or if she were fat, flatulent, and flaky. Lilly was Lilly because she had a brain and knew how to use it, knew what was expected of her, knew how to tease Miley and bring her right to the edge of control before slowly reeling the brunette back in and calming her down, no matter what the emotion or occasion. The brain that controlled her personality, her emotions, her quirks and her idiosyncrasies, that brain was what Miley loved because it was _Lilly_, and she loved _Lilly._

The teacher walked into the room and began going over the Advanced Junior English syllabus for the second day in a row. Lilly had lifted her head just enough to be considered awake and alert, though sleep and fatigue still clouded her eyes. Miley resisted the urge to giggle or to help awaken the blonde beauty. It was better that their affections not contaminate their school-work, though during passing periods or lunch they were fairly open about their devotion and respect for one another. That was another thing Miley loved: Lilly looked at her with eyes full of love, full of trust, and full of _respect_ which Miley did not feel she deserved, especially given how she had hurt Lilly so many times in the past. She felt a knot begin to form in her stomach, but swallowed to push it away before it moved up her throat. Like a little lost puppy dog, Lilly kept coming back to Miley over and over, though they'd made it through the entire summer with very little drama and only one fight that stemmed from miscommunication; Miley had given Lilly a street address for a fancy restaurant that they would meet at to eat a fabulous, Miley-funded dinner, but Lilly had somehow ended up across town because Miley had mis-typed one letter in the street name and left Lilly stranded in the dark in an alleyway for a good half-hour before she was rescued from a very haughty-looking homeless man who had something stowed in his pants that wasn't store-bought.

Miley remembered this event very sorrowfully and very timidly, as she knew that had she been even a moment too late in regrouping with her beau, the man would probably have taken power over her and used her for his own desires. Lilly may have had muscle, but most likely not enough to throw off a determined male assailant. Luck had been with them. Miley didn't want to have to rely on luck and made certain that another incident wouldn't happen by double- and triple-checking herself and her work, Lilly-centric or otherwise.

Lilly was definitely more headstrong in their relationship, even as the shorter of the two. She most often got her way when Miley gave her the option, but she didn't mind. She knew that Lilly had a secret sweet spot for an overpowering girlfriend, and Miley only very rarely flexed that particular muscle of control to keep their relationship spontaneous and genuine. On the four occasions she had, Lilly had screamed herself unconscious as eight separate orgasms took her body and overdosed it with happiness and blindingly blurry clarity, the point where everything and nothing came together and separated at the same time, immediately after which she had fallen through the floor into a blasting tunnel of black asphyxia and endorphins. Miley had looked on with love at her handiwork, the vibrating, humming body of her lover pulsing and quivering on the bed as she tingled with electric charge and warmth. Miley had giggled. It was always so amazing to her to watch Lilly implode into her own little world after being subject to far too much torturous pleasure. Lilly loved it and hated it, Miley knew, because Lilly believed that Miley's sexual release always came before hers, and often Miley would pass out in exhaustion after six of her own orgasms with a very satisfied and very triumphant Lilly standing over her limp, empty body. Miley had definitely had more orgasms with Lilly than Lilly with Miley, but Lilly wasn't bothered. Miley knew that Lilly had a bit more of a sentimental view of sex than that of Miley; it was, to her, the ultimate proclamation of one's love for another, and an orgasm was the peak, the bursting point, where all the feelings and emotions came forth and permeated the atmosphere, radiating outward like seismic waves from an earthquake. Miley, however, believed that an orgasm was only the understanding and bestowal of pleasure upon another. The true proclamation of their love, Miley believed, was not in sex, love-making, fucking, or rutting like pigs. No, to her, sex was just an extension of their love, not the final expression. To her, it was a limb. Love and the concept of loving another were displayed and believed in by living in the moment, by showing the other unconditionally and with a naked, exposed heart that they could share anything and everything together. The binding, the care, the compassion, the simple feeling of blazing heat in her chest whenever she thought of Lilly..._that _was her definition of the ultimate expression of her love for the other.

Lilly snored very gently beside Miley, her head propped on her hand, arm vertical, elbow resting on the desk. Miley again fought the urge to giggle. She knew she had to wake the girl before the teacher found out, but she couldn't think of a way to get the heavy sleeper to open her eyes. Lilly always looked so cute while sleeping anyways, and it was hard for Miley to even try to conceive a plan as she attempted to inconspicuously admire her girlfriend's relaxed form. Finally, she worked up the courage to reach out and touch Lilly's arm, which did nothing. The teacher was busy reading the syllabus, still, as though the class had not a brain to think for itself. Miley could hear whispering and papers being passed throughout the classroom, but after glancing at the teacher, either he did not know about the disruptions present in his classroom or he chose not to acknowledge them. Miley took the opportunity to grab Lilly's arm and tug on it.

Her head fell from her hand and bobbled as her neck muscles caught it and lifted it back upright, eyes opening wide in shock before squinting under the fluorescent light of the bulbs overhead. She looked blearily at Miley and huffed.

"You need to wake up, Lilly. This isn't a class you can sleep in and expect to pass," Miley warned. Lilly sighed gently.

"I know, Miley...I just had a bit of an argument with my father last night. He still hasn't accepted the fact that we're a couple, even after all this time."

Miley blinked. "Still?"

"Still," Lilly nodded sleepily. "He's so stubborn and stupid. I wish he'd just...get over himself," she mumbled, yawning gently as she fought off sleep.

"You should pay attention to this class, Lilly. You might find you like it."

"What makes you say that?" she grunted while stretching, her hands linked high over her head, back arched slightly, pushing her chest out tauntingly into the air. Miley had to swallow to keep herself from drooling; she began to feel a familiar heat between her legs that only Lilly could cool.

"I-I think that you could exp-pand your poetic voice and r-repertoire if you bothered to p-pay attention..." she stuttered, attempting to keep herself from making a noise that would indicate her slight arousal. Lilly looked as though she knew what was really going on and smirked for a moment before lowering her arms and blinking tiredly at the droning teacher.

"Tell ya what, Miley. If this teacher can be a bit more interesting, I'll put a bit more effort into the class. Deal?"

Miley looked at the teacher, who had a very well concealed twinkle in his eye in spite of his bored tone. She knew immediately that she could seal the deal without worry of lack of motivation on Lilly's part; the only reason he seemed dull was because it was the syllabus and it was mandatory to cover before starting the year. Miley fought off a grin of victory.

"Deal."

They shook on it lightly and resumed their former positions, Miley thinking heavily about the year to come, Lilly passed out on the desktop.

The six class periods came to a much-needed end and Miley skipped happily toward her lethargic blonde girlfriend, who wearily leaned against her locker and began transferring books from her backpack. Miley stopped beside her and linked her hands behind her back, swaying back and forth slightly like a little girl, gazing at Lilly with large, innocent eyes and a big, goofy grin.

Miley kept her facade up front, but watched the lack of energy and motivation in Lilly's figure and knew immediately that something was wrong. Something in the way Lilly's arm seemed to dangle when it moved one book from the backpack to the locker seemed off. Something in the way she slowly shut the locker door, sighing and resting her head against the one above it. Something about the way she weakly addressed her girlfriend.

"Hey, Miley."

The brunette immediately dropped her cute-girl act. "Lilly, what's wrong?"

She sighed. "I just...haven't been sleeping well."

"Parents again?"

She nodded, resting gently against the lockers, her body leaning against them like a ragdoll, arms dangling limply at her sides. Miley blinked.

"Lilly, what's going on at home?" she asked quietly, trying to keep the conversation private.

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it, Miley," she mumbled tiredly. "I'm just gonna head home and get my homework done..."

She turned and shuffled slowly down the hall and out the doors. Miley blinked again. Something wasn't right. Something _really _wasn't right. And Miley wasn't going to let Lilly get away with not spilling the truth so easily.

She ran after the girl and caught up, breathing slightly heavier than normal. Lilly sighed and turned around slowly, a small smile on her tired face.

"Honestly Miley, I'd have been disappointed if you hadn't come after me."

Miley grinned. "So are you going to tell me what's going on?"

The blonde sighed and shook her head. "I can't explain, especially not here. Maybe...maybe I need to show you."

"Show me?"

"At home. Walk with me, yeah?"

"Of course! I'd never pass up the chance to walk with my beautiful girlfriend, whether she's awake and happy or otherwise."

Lilly let out a small laugh. "I'm thinking I'm more on the tired and frustrated side, but we'll talk at home."

Miley remained silent during the walk home, resisting the temptation to ask Lilly what was going on at home. The fatigued blonde looked as though she wouldn't be able to answer anyways; she was dragging her feet and her head hung a bit down and to her left, bobbling dizzily as she walked. Miley bit her lip nervously. Lilly had never looked so distraught and crushed. _What _was going on at home?

None too soon, the girls arrived at Lilly's house. The blonde slowly slipped the key into the lock and opened the heavy door with a click. She sighed and turned to Miley, barring the entryway. Her golden hair lifted and danced very gently, very slowly in the light tip-toeing breeze that drifted by, the same breeze which further tangled and curled Miley's dark locks of clean, fresh hair.

"Miley...do me a favor," Lilly pleaded gently, her voice choked and just barely a hair's breadth above a whisper. "Don't say anything...not until we get to my room."

Miley nodded, unsure what to make of Lilly's unusual secrecy. The blonde swallowed and eased the door open, letting herself and her girlfriend across the threshold.

Nothing seemed different to Miley, but then again, she'd not gotten to see the house in its entirety that day. The plants were still green and growing on the glass-topped end tables. The white leather couch still looked as pristine as ever, clean and fresh-smelling. The gigantic glass panel that was their television still hung on the wall, clean and crisp as usual. A look around the kitchen further confused Miley, as all the appliances stood in their stainless steel glory on the highly polished linoleum floor, everything as clean as possible. She sniffed gently, trying to give her mind a moment to process the possible meaning to Lilly's words. Nothing registered.

Nothing different in the foyer, nor in the hall, nor in Lilly's own bedroom, the door to which shut behind Miley as she walked past. The blonde then threw herself onto her bed with a groan, the mattress creaking slightly at the slight weight of the body it bore.

"Um...Lilly...?"

The blonde waved for Miley to sit, and so she did on Lilly's comfortable desk chair. She braced herself for an uncomfortable conversation and decided to dive in head-first.

"Why isn't anyone home?"

Lilly exhaled gently. "Right to it, huh?" she mumbled, kicking her shoes off gently and without grace. Miley waited patiently, giving Lilly time to formulate an answer, though it seemed as if she needed to say it rather than think about it.

"Right...um..." The blonde sat up, gazing at Miley with dull, listless eyes. She inhaled gently, eyes shut softly. "My parents have decided to separate and my father took Maxwell with him. They've decided to file for divorce after realizing they couldn't work out their marital differences and my father has conceded to give my mother everything with this house and its vehicles so that he can 'start over', as he said."

The blonde opened her eyes and Miley could see them burning with tears. She swallowed.

"Lilly...they're...your parents are separating?"

The blonde nodded slowly, a tear rolling down each cheek almost simultaneously. "They decided that because they could not compromise their different opinions, they were better off without each other."

Miley blinked, sliding closer, afraid to touch her girlfriend. "Lilly...I don't believe that..."

The blonde sighed shakily, her eyes closing. More tears fell. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"What do you mean?"

Lilly took an unsteady breath, then locked eyes with Miley rather suddenly. Her eyes were the color of ice and just as cold, and they chilled Miley to the bone. Her voice came out in a croak, a lisp, a deadpan, like someone who'd become numb to the world.

"Last night they had a shouting match at midnight. Earlier yesterday, my father once again called me stupid and worthless and retarded and a bitch and a failure, and, after being verbally assaulted by my mother, who wanted to defend me from him and his drunken mood, he decided to use his belt buckle and a frying pan on me, to straighten me out. Mom had enough. She dialed the police and right as they picked up, he yanked the phone line. He...he threw her...and broke the coffee table. She's in the hospital. He grabbed Max and ran. I...I don't know where he is. He...he has my brother. My mom's in the hospital and the doctors don't think she'll walk for several months...I...Miley, I don't know what to do..."

The grid-iron resolve was gone. Lilly plummeted into a pool of tears and fell forward off the bed into Miley's loving arms. The girl felt limp and helpless in Miley's embrace and she held her girlfriend, whispering comfort and kissing her beautiful golden locks with such care and comfort as to shush the girl and lull her into a gentle, comforting stupor. Lilly looked very tired when she finally stopped crying and could not stand without Miley's help, but the brunette was not going to make her girlfriend walk alone. They crawled into bed and Miley gently and lovingly undressed her girlfriend down to her underclothes, drawing the comforter up to warm and nurture her shaking body.

"Miley...aren't you staying?"

Miley unbuttoned her blouse and slid out of her knee-length skirt, her calf-high boots crumpling on the floor with her clothes. "I'm not going anywhere, Lilly. You need me. I'm not going anywhere, ever."

Lilly hiccuped. "You're wrong."

"I'm what?"

"Wrong," Lilly grunted, opening her eyes. Once again, they were full of tears. Miley knew that with her girlfriend this emotionally unstable that there'd be no way she could leave, though she had no inclination of doing so anyways.

"You think you'll be there forever, Miley, but you won't. My brother hasn't had a real conversation with me since I started dating you. My father distanced himself when he found out my brain didn't work right, and now he's gone off with my brother to who knows where. My mother left. She abandoned me and was just as cruel as my father. Neither of them believed in me. You're the next one to go, Miley. Everyone leaves me at some point or another. It only follows that...that you're next..."

She dissolved once again into a river of tears. Miley held her tight and stroked her hair, which calmed her faster than the gentle kisses had. Miley then nuzzled her lover's nose and looked her in the eyes, their foreheads pressed together gently, bodies twined together.

"Lilly, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to leave you. I'm here to stay, baby girl. Just like your mom."

"She left, Miley. She left me out in the cold and was no better than my father."

"And she came back to you. And you forgave her, didn't you?"

"I...but...what does that-"

"Lilly, if you love something, let it go free. If it comes back, it was meant to be, and it's yours forever. Your mom left and came back, and you loved her unconditionally the whole time, just as she loved you unconditionally the whole time. The bond between you two is stronger than anything you could ever have with me, no matter what you may say otherwise. And I'm not going anywhere either, Lilly, because I love you, and I mean that with all my heart each and every time I say it."

The blonde went limp in what Miley could only guess was relief and gratitude. Somehow, the brunette always knew what to say, and Miley prided herself on that trait.

"Thank you, Miley. Thank you for believing. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for loving me, baby, because I love you too, and I need your love to survive. I need you, Miley...you have no idea how much I need you..."

Miley half-smiled at Lilly's mumblings, the warm body of her girlfriend shaking in her arms. "Be calm, Lilly. Be still. I do know how much you need me, because I needed you. You showed me courage. You showed me passion. You showed me the good side of life, and you made me strong through the hardship and...and the rape...I...I don't think I would be able to speak right now if you weren't here supporting me, love. I need you just as much as you need me. I still need you. I still love you. And believe me, I always will."

The blonde blinked, more tears leaking down her cheeks. Miley gently brushed them off with her thumbs and then placed a slow, gentle, chaste kiss on her girlfriend's quivering lips. The blonde relaxed immediately and dropped limply into Miley's loving arms, sighing her love for the girl as she kissed at the girl's neck. Miley held Lilly tightly, gently telling Lilly to stop.

"No, Lilly. You need to sleep now. You need to rest and rejuvenate right now. Having sex while you're hurting doesn't fix the pain. Time heals the pain. Rest heals the pain. So rest, baby. We can show each other that love later, when we're both awake and happy and feeling the passion of the moment."

Lilly sighed and nodded. "I love you so much, Miley."

The brunette kissed her lover's forehead. "I love you too, Lilly. Now rest."

* * *

><p><strong><em>I feel like maybe the two ending paragraphs were a bit flaky-ish, but...sometimes, when people suffer heartbreak, they turn to sex or pain as methods of coping. Sorry if it seemed like Lilly was a horny little girl who wanted to get into Miley's pants after playing the sympathy card; that wasn't my intention at all. Anyways, enough of me. Now I want to hear from YOU. MOTIVATE ME to write the next one, my gentle snowflakes. I love you all. ~Kyttin<em>**


	3. Misery and Mystery

**_EDIT: THIS IS NOW CHAPTER 3 WITH THE COMMENTS FOR CHAPTER 2.  
><em>**

**_A/N: I'm PISSED. I can't seem to think of what to write. I want so badly to get into the heart of this story, but fuck, it almost seems like this chapter goes off and deals more with thoughts than actions. And I'm pretty sure reading about a full week at school will be boring. Well, whatever. I updated. Whoop-de-fucking-do. _**

**_crazy4cyrus: Yes, I will keep writing. I don't know how long I'll be able to deal with the lack of momentum before I finally scream and rip my hair out, but I'll at least keep writing._**

**_merc: Glad to see you're following this one as well! :)_**

**_Morbid Crow: Ehehehehe...We delve a little bit into that in this chapter, actually. I'm trying to give away little hints and details without saying anything outright._**

**_MileyNick611: I will not reply about Never Give In. The story is concluded and thus requires no more commentary on my part. About this story, however, I'm glad you're interested. Yes, all will be revealed soon. Next chapter will be a cliff-hanger, though. Chapter 4 should give light to everything. _**

**_BigBMarie: Glad. Means I'm writing the way I intended. ;)_**

**_No, I'm not replying to reviews or comments about Never Give In unless someone specifically demands them of me. As much as I love my readers, I think the sequel should be focused on more than its predecessor. Hopefully I don't disappoint._**

**_Thanks to everyone for the +watchies and the +favies! I'd go through and do names, but I'm a little slammed for time right now. You know who you are, though, so try not to bite my head off. :)  
><em>**

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><p>Chapter 3: Misery and Mystery<p>

Two weeks had gone by. And Miley had received another letter signed RJS. She was starting to get fairly unnerved at this point.

_I know that I've not given you a clue as to who I am, but you know me, and I most certainly know you, Miley. It's been a long time since we saw each other. It's difficult to predict what the future will hold between us. I know that I eagerly await our reintroduction. _

_As a hint, no, I am not the infamous homosexual rapist Jake Ryan. I loathe the man and would probably kill him on sight if I ever met him. Stay strong, Miley. If his release date was two weeks ago as planned, be on your guard. _

_RJS_

Nothing could be gleaned. It was almost like the author had no intention of being revealed, or of revealing itself. Miley shivered. She didn't like the feeling of uncertainty she got from these letters, the feeling that her whole world was about to be flipped on its ass and dragged through the dirt. That thought scared her. It was the last thing she needed was for her life to change drastically again. She'd already been blessed with Lilly, who as of yet knew nothing of the letters. She hoped nobody found out about them, but she kept them folded and hidden away from the world.

It scared her. This could very easily be some old pedophile out to get her, just the same way Jake had been. But Jake had been gay. He had used Miley to try and convince them both otherwise, but he had admitted it in court for the record on that fated day at the end of June. Miley had been stunned out of speech that day. Jake himself looked shaken. Overall, not a good day for anyone.

Memories resurfaced. All the work she'd done. All the torture she'd put Lilly through, followed by the full year of attempting to reconnect with Lilly and straighten her out and normalize her within society. And, despite incredible odds and her constant struggle to speak, she had done it. Lilly had become one of the smartest, most studious students on campus, had brought her grade-point average up to nearly match her mentor's, and still had time to surf or skateboard freely on the weekends.

But even Lilly failed to take her mind off the unnerving feelings she'd been experiencing. She knew this person, she _knew_ this person, yet she couldn't put a name or a face together to form a human. Frustrating. Scary. God, how she wished she knew. He could be watching her at any given moment.

Her blood ran cold. She did an involuntary check of her room, eyes flicking around frantically before settling. She sighed. This must be how schizophrenics felt. Under constant watch. Racing minds. Thoughts that jumbled and bounced off one another. Fuck.

She remembered the first time she'd been reintroduced to Lilly the previous year. Bittersweet, really. Lilly hadn't been happy to see her and had only put up with her long enough to learn what she needed to before finally losing it and growing angry at the brunette. Miley couldn't blame the girl; she had tortured the blonde-haired girl in grade school every day whenever possible, and had broken the blonde down to nothing by the end of it.

What if she'd never reconnected with Lilly?

She wouldn't be happy. Neither would Lilly. But was she happy? She had a house, a loving father, and a very devoted and protective girlfriend that she could turn to. But did that make her happy? Did she have everything she'd been looking for? What if Lilly decided she couldn't be devoted to Miley anymore? What if Miley couldn't devote to Lilly? What if one of them died? What if one of them moved away? Was Miley happy? Could she deal with what could come of it all? Or was it all a waste of time, just some confusing tangle of misery and secrecy?

Fuck.

No. She had happiness. She had Lilly, her little golden-blonde ball of sweet, summer sunshine to turn to every day. The girl could light up a black hole with her smile. Miley had nothing to fear. Lilly would never leave her, and she would never leave Lilly. Simple.

Right?

Miley sighed. She had to be in love with Lilly to some degree else she wouldn't have fallen for the blonde so easily. But what if Lilly was a hopeless case? She was prone to attracting those. Mikayla had been the prime example.

Mikayla.

Miley gulped. Mikayla had been her only other girlfriend besides Lilly. The dark-haired latina had caught her eye immediately and they'd decided to dive into their relationship without so much as a forethought. Miley hadn't said no, either. They were great together and they knew each other's habits and moods to the tee, with two small problems: Robbie disliked Mikayla with a mild forwardness, and Mikayla had been diagnosed with a terrible mental disorder.

According to the doctor, Mikayla suffered from something known as dissociative identity disorder, which the public knew more to be called multiple personality disorder. If events in her life became too much to deal with, she'd curl up inside herself and let a stronger, more brutal figure come out to deal with the pain and the problem. But when the brutal, matronly figure had learned of Mikayla's girlfriend, she had gone ballistic on the girl and frequently abused the body in horrifying fashions. And as the summer before Miley's freshman year of high school had commenced, by which time Mikayla would have been a sophomore, the latina had been discovered in her bathtub, wrists slashed into X's, water colored blood. Her face looked peaceful for the first time Miley'd ever seen her (having been the first one on the scene), and she remembered kissing the girl on the forehead as she wept over the side of the tub, Mikayla's mother sobbing from the doorway, Robbie talking very sullenly to the police as they responded to the call.

Some said that Miley wasn't a justified, true-blooded lesbian. She disagreed. She didn't look at boys with interest or with reverence. Nothing about them appealed to her. Girls, on the other hand...they were soft and sensual and knew exactly what the other person needed to feel good. It was a sort of natural intuition programmed into one's mind, per se.

Mikayla hadn't ever taken her relationship with Miley to a sexual level. The subject never came up. It was almost as though neither could see the other in that sort of light. Of course, Lilly knew about Mikayla and had comforted Miley for one short day over it, but Lilly was different because they were sexually satisfied with one another. Right?

Wait. Did she ever leave Lilly feeling unsatisfied? She wanted to believe that she didn't. Then...was it possible that Lilly wanted more than what Miley offered? Lilly never seemed to push the issue. Was Miley being a good lover? Had they jumped into the sex too soon? Was it all too good to be true?

Fuck.

Enough of the crap thoughts. They're non-productive and unhealthy. Right. Because Lilly wasn't going anywhere. There wasn't anywhere for her to go anyways. Not that Miley had the blonde trapped...right?

So much doubt, so little certainty. Miley began to feel frustrated with herself for all this. None of it made any kind of rational sense. Fuck. NOW what?

Obvious, really. Talk to Lilly. Find the fuck out what it is she wanted.

But was it that simple? As obvious as it may have been, something didn't sit right with Miley. Maybe...was she trying too hard? Maybe Lilly would reject the conversation? No, she had never rejected anything before, and Miley never felt as if she were trying hard enough. Was she good enough for Lilly, who lived the upper-middle-class lifestyle she'd been blessed to have contact with?

But was love material?

Nothing made sense anymore.

Fuck.

Another week. Another letter. This one was more personal.

_I cannot disclose my identity, Miley, else rebuttal and anger take hold. I'd rather you not be angry with me, especially after such a long time. I didn't begin writing these letters to you all-of-a-sudden with no reason: you're seventeen now, meaning you're probably old enough and smart enough to understand what has happened and why I've made the decisions I have. I'm not trying to justify anything, but I hope that you can at least understand. I can't say much in this letter, but I can say this: you will be seeing me soon. Very, very soon. I'm not going to hurt you, Miley. You mean too much to this world for me to be so selfish...of which I have been enough already for all these years._

_RJS_

Still no clues. Still nothing to go by. Still no idea. It could be anyone, really. Well, anyone who wasn't already dead or long gone, which eliminated her mother, who'd passed away seven years prior due to a sudden fatal neural aneurism. Her brother was God only knew where, and he wouldn't have any reason to contact her. Uncle Earl was dead from a heart-attack. Aunt Pearl was on her way there, too; they'd received a call that her heart was beating erratically and she'd been hospitalized. Aunt Dolly wasn't in the picture; she had her own life and six boyfriends to deal with. Miley never associated with her much. There wasn't anything that she had enjoyed about Dolly. Mamaw Ruthie had passed away when Miley was very young.

_He's coming to get you_.

Miley shivered. The voice wasn't sounding too friendly and seemed to laugh at her pain, echoing within her own head.

_He's going to take you, Miley. It's inevitable. Don't fight fate. Don't try to escape._

Miley worked to ignore the voice. It faded into the background. She shivered again. Feeling very cold and without an appetite, she rolled over to sleep.

The shadow watched from the window once again. It felt heartbroken that it was the cause and effect of everything that'd happened to the family. No, it wasn't malicious. It had no malicious intent. But by the look of pain on Miley's face, it guessed that she'd been remembering her past. Remembering things best left forgotten. The shadow sighed gloomily, gazing forlornly inside. Perhaps it was better left as a memory rather than a sudden, unprepared reality. But now that it had sent the letters, how could it ignore what it'd said? Was it just, then, trying to scare the poor girl?

No. That wasn't the case at all. It wanted the family to be happy and successful. It wanted nothing but the best. Fuck, it would _give _them the best. Sunday was the day. Sunday afternoon it would appear on their doorstep. It had originally wanted to wait longer, but it felt too much like it was the cause to let the family go any longer.

Sunday afternoon. On the doorstep. It would be waiting, with determination boiling through its veins and a plan hatched in its mind. One way or another, the family would survive.

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><p><strong><em>The fact that the shadow is so bent on this one particular family should be some sort of...clue, I suppose. Anyways, read and review. I love all you guys. ~Kyttin<em>**


	4. Inferno

**_A/N: Right...I'm sorry I left you guys hanging. According to the Doc Manager, I last updated something like fifteen days ago. That's a long-ass time for me to go without writing. I finally, FINALLY got the inspiration to write the first third of this a week ago, then the next half yesterday evening, and the ending portion this morning, and now here I am posting it for my readers. I think part of my lack of motivation is due to me being eighteen and having graduated high school (seems like there's nothing to do now), and the other part is my readers not reviewing. I mean, I only got TWO replies to last chapter. Granted...I updated a month after I'd last posted for that one, and it was all out of order (which I will fix shortly), but COME ON...did everyone disappear now that summer's in session?_**

**_SGM: Sometimes the most sane of people have the worst internal struggles, sir. You think he may not have seemed bad in the last story, but considering how he acted at the beginning (and how he continued "ignoring" her through the end), it was kinda already set to happen. I like the soap-opera comment, and I suppose it's true in a certain perspective. This chapter...has good in it. Raunchy and steamy words, sure, but it's a good chapter. It's intended to balance out the bad of the past couple. I try and play with a sort-of Yin-Yang cycle when writing: every good has a bad, and vice versa, but nothing's ever perfectly one way or the other. Shit hit the fan for me here too, but nothing serious has happened yet. Just...got myself what I so egotistically believe to be the best girlfriend on the face of the planet, though I'm still having to deal with a whiny, bitchy ex who can't seem to just give it the fuck up...Ah well. My problems are mine own and should not conflict with my writing. I'll imbue emotions, sure, but nothing more. :)_**

**_BigBMarie: I'm sorry you're confused. Let me go fix that right after I post this one and then you can reread the whole thing. It should make more sense._**

**_So, while I wasn't clear about ANYTHING relating to the timing of this chapter, this chapter does take place on the SUNDAY mentioned in what will now be Chapter 3 (the shadowy figure says "Sunday it would be there on her doorstep"). But, that information is for NEXT CHAPTER, assuming I get any reviews and motivation to write in the next week or two. I don't want to leave you guys hanging for so long again. However, without further wait or worry, here is Chapter 4 of When Two Become One.  
><em>**

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><p>Chapter 4: Inferno<p>

A beautiful Sunday morning greeted Miley as she stretched and woke, her eyes still sticky and thick with sleep, her body relaxed and well-rested. She felt cozy and comfortable lying in her bed, basking in the sun's glory and the morning rays it produced. She sighed, feeling content with the world. And the fact that she'd be spending it with Lilly, this last Sunday in September, only served to make it better, even after the hardship the blonde had suffered. Though, Miley hoped, as she rolled over to warm her other side, Lilly's mother was supposed to be discharged from the hospital that day, and Robbie would be driving the three girls to Lilly's house for a day of conversation and calm reverence.

Her thoughts wandered to the 'what ifs' of the day. What if Lilly's mom wasn't okay? What if Lilly didn't feel happy? What if Lilly was aroused? What if they ended up in Lilly's bed? What if-

Miley had to stop herself from thinking any farther. Just the thought of kissing her girlfriend's lips with that sort of passion brought an intense heat to her inner thighs, boiling waves of magma breaking and crashing over the shores of her sanity. She had to touch. It was a crime not to. She had to release herself.

No.

That was for Lilly to do. Not Miley. It felt wrong whenever she touched herself anymore because Lilly wasn't the one doing it. Because she had to _think _of Lilly and _pretend _her lover was in the room doing such things to her. She didn't like that feeling. She felt unclean. Like she'd done something wrong. She wanted Lilly to be the only one to do that to her, to make her feel that way, to bring her to ecstasy. Hell, at the rate she was going, she _needed _Lilly to bring her off. If she didn't get release by the end of the day...she felt she'd probably explode. Fuck. Whoever said that guys were the only ones who could wake up horny and with morning wood was a liar. Girls might not have the wood, but they sure had the heat.

She sighed and sat up, her crotch throbbing in desire. She needed Lilly, and badly. They'd not had sex in almost a month, not since before Lilly had told Miley of her father leaving. Miley had been pushing her desires off to help comfort Lilly, even when she was so close to diving over the edge that it hurt her physically to restrain herself. No more. She could not do it any longer. She _had _to have Lilly. That day. No exceptions.

She stood and stretched, arching her back, feeling her breasts jut out slightly over her ribs, the slightly scratchy flannel dragging over her semi-erect nipples rather tauntingly, making the heat within her grow. She let out a small moan of indignation and torment. The longer she had to wait for Lilly, the worse her body seemed to respond. She relaxed, the fabric clinging and tugging and scratching gently, and discarded her clothes, leaving her standing before her mirror in nothing but her panties. She cupped her breasts. In her mind, they were a bit too small, but she knew that Lilly was perfectly happy with them and so didn't mind terribly at their size. She shrugged and let them fall, though they did not sag for their weight. Miley giggled at herself in the mirror; Lilly had once commented they were worth their weight in gold after they'd spent one summer afternoon making love and Miley had called them fat upon waking up and calming down from her high. Such fond memories. Such an amazing girl.

The heat in her body only grew. With much regret Miley hid her breasts from view under a lacy black bra that matched her panties, the lingerie quickly disappearing beneath a dark blue v-neck cotton blouse and a mid-thigh pleated denim skirt. She needed to look decent to try and impress Lilly if she was to try and seduce the blonde.

Seduce?

Well, Lilly would come if asked...both to her and because of her. Miley giggled. Lilly was always so cute. Especially when she let herself lose control to the moment. That was when Lilly was at her best. Or at least, that's what Miley believed. It meant Lilly trusted her and cared for her in the same way Miley put trust and care into Lilly. It was a special bond between them, one that meant more to them than anything else in the world possibly could. It was solid. Graceful. And totally unique.

Miley paused. She blinked at herself in the mirror.

_I must be in love with the girl. _

It only made sense. It seemed so stupid that she should have to stop and realize it, but yet, it wasn't stupid at all. It made _sense. _She wasn't with Lilly out of pity or sorrow. She wasn't with the girl because she _had _to be. She was with Lilly because she loved the way the girl said her name, the way her blonde hair always glinted like fresh, early morning sunshine, the way her smile was so genuine and her body so relaxed in her presence, the way she never seemed to be able to take her eyes off her perfect girlfriend. Not perfect in the sense of action or grace, no, but perfect in mold and in fitting. She balanced Miley out and left her feeling at peace with the world. Nothing could ever go wrong with Lilly around.

But when the blonde wasn't around, like that morning, nothing could be helped, including the growing urge within Miley's belly. She huffed in mild irritation before stepping into the bathroom to take care of her personal hygiene for that morning. She had inherited perfect teeth from both her parents, she knew, and thus had never worn braces, much to the financial benefit of her family. However, the only reason they'd stayed so charmingly and beautifully bright and white in color was because she had always been berated as a child if she failed to maintain oral hygiene. As a result, she always felt as though she'd done something wrong if she ever forgot or missed a brushing; consequently, she very rarely forfeited a toothbrush and paste over other activities or desires.

Small circles. That's all it took. Small, swirling circles of the brush on her teeth, delicate but firm. Life seemed to revolve in small circles. Her meeting with Lilly in grade-school, then being re-introduced just the previous year. That was a circle. A small, swirling circle. Her ability to speak, which she'd given up and then reclaimed within a few short months of life. That was another circle. Her hand faltered slightly, for another circle that met her was the rape of her innocence and body. She very nearly swallowed the toothpaste, then, for Lilly was easily pleased by small, swirling circles, delicate but firm. Blood crept to Miley's cheeks. She spat out the paste, watching the white foamy bubbles slide slowly down the drain.

She cracked the faucet tap and dredged water into her mouth with her hands. Swishing, back and forth, side to side, up and down, circles...everything seemed to ebb and flow, from the water in her mouth to the heat in her body. She spat the water out and scooped more into her mouth. If her mind decided it would keep generating images of Lilly's hot, naked body pressed against her own, she might just explode standing over the sink. Then again, part of it was indeed the blonde's doing; she was quite the tease even if she didn't intend to be.

More spit. Finally, the minty taste of paste had dulled. Her mouth felt cold and fresh. Minty-fresh. She sucked air between her teeth. It felt good to have a clean mouth. The way the air tasted so fresh and crisp and mildly icy was just so fantastic. It left her mouth tingling for more.

She grasped her brush. Her hair was knotted and tangled and looked disgusting to her eyes. Small flicks on the tips of her hair. Loosen from the bottom to the top. Gradually climbing up. Then, to the bottom to do it again. That way, her hair could never snarl or mesh into a patch-wrought maze of never-ending folds and ties and loops and bundles. She'd always been taught to work her way up. That's the way it was with the world, and hair was no exception. Besides, she had to look good to get Lilly's attention. The blonde's hair was always so straight and perfect, with just that tiny alluring curl hanging just forward her ears, the same curl Miley wished she had, for it was just that sight of curl that made her moan inside and want to pounce on the blonde and take her, make her feel like a woman, make her tame the beast within Miley's body. Her breath caught just thinking of the curl as she continued to pull gently through her own twisting hair. She didn't like how curly her hair tended to be, but Lilly loved it. She called it 'the gorgeous, luscious hair of the angels' even as Miley proceeded to protest and call it a mass of uck. A smile tugged at Miley's lips. Her beautiful girlfriend always managed to bring a smile to her face and warmth in her heart. Unless she was in some state of undress, in which case Miley's heat moved from her heart to deep in her belly. She sighed, releasing the breath. She needed her girlfriend something fierce, and the smoldering embers nestled somewhere between her legs were loathe to cool and die.

This was the problem with having Lilly as her girlfriend. Miley never could get thought of the blonde off her mind. It wasn't really a problem, per se, though, as it gave Miley something to look forward to, something to occupy her time, something to think about if she grew bored or weary of her surroundings. The one downside to having to think about Lilly at all times was that often Lilly was not in the immediate vicinity to assuage the thoughts, the feelings, the urges that proceeded to grip the brunette that morning. She clicked out the light in the bathroom and stole down the hallway, stepping gently in her black cotton ankle-socks, avoiding the floorboards that had acquired gentle but irritating creaks over the summer from use. One board cracked loudly under Miley's foot and she flinched, blinking quickly to rid her head of the noise. She paused at the end of the hallway, listening as she slipped her gray sneakers on, hearing the telltale rustle of paper in the kitchen. It sounded like her daddy was at the table drinking coffee and reading the paper. Miley avoided sighing. He'd get a quick shower afterward, then head off to work for a measly paycheck that would only barely provide enough income to keep the power on and food in the fridge, not to mention he would probably be home past ten in the evening to try and work overtime for his boss in hope of extra money. Miley knew his boss was sympathetic to their plight, but the man could only do so much, and she respected him because he followed protocol and regulation, even if he went a bit out of his way at times to find extra tasks for her daddy to accomplish for a little extra change in his pocket. Such a meager existence. Miley hated it. She hated that there was nothing she could do. She hated that her father tried and tried and that it seemed as if nothing came of his effort. She would never question her daddy. He was always good and kind. He tried his hardest. And as much as Miley loathed the life she was forced to live, she would never blame her daddy. It wasn't his fault.

"You goin' with Lilly today, darlin'?"

She smiled faintly at her daddy and nodded. "Her mom comes home from the hospital today and she wanted me to be there with her to say hello."

Robbie nodded slowly, blinking thoughtfully at the girl. "You take care of yourself, then, alright?"

"Always, daddy. Always."

Miley stepped gently toward the door and tugged it open, bumping straight into a mane of blonde hair, one fist poised in the air to knock on a door that no longer existed in its space. Miley blinked in surprise, but it was Lilly who recovered first by running her fingers through the brunette curls. Miley shook her head, gazing in happiness at the love of her life.

"Well, look who showed up!"

Lilly laughed cheerily. "I had planned to surprise you and pick you up anyways, but I figured while I'm here I might as well extend an invitation to you and your father."

"What sort of invitation?" the slightly grizzled voice of Miley's daddy called gently from over the girl's shoulder.

"Well, see, my mom had...an accident of sorts...and she's coming home from the hospital today. She told me yesterday evening when I was visiting her that she will be in a wheelchair for a while and that, well...perhaps, since Miley and I are so close, you could...tag along and stay at our place for a little while? She'd appreciate the company, if nothing else."

Miley glanced up at her daddy. He looked lost in thought.

"I...I don't know that it's such a good idea, Lilly. I mean, I have a house here to take care of and a job to go to and-"

"Mr. Stewart, it's no big deal. Really. Mom can take care of all of this. She said you don't even have to come over and stay right now, today. But she wanted to offer because, as she says, she thinks I'll get tired and cranky from pushing her around everywhere she needs to go, which, truthfully, is the most likely outcome."

Lilly shrugged. Robbie still looked deep in thought. Miley prayed that her father would say

"Alright," he conceded. Miley was so startled she almost lost her balance and stumbled forward a couple inches.

"Really?"

"If Mrs. Truscott's comfortable with it, then I'll agree to it. I don't want to impose on her-"

"Believe me, Mr. Stewart, it's no imposition."

He sighed, then glassed over the houses visible from his threshold. "This is just..."

Lilly stepped close to her girlfriend. Miley could feel the heat from the blonde's body against hers and the ember within her belly thrummed to a light, but live, flame, kindled by a single coal. If Lilly got any closer, Miley feared she would erupt with unchained passion and ecstasy.

But the blonde seemed not to notice as she laid a soft, gentle hand on Robbie's forearm. "Mr. Stewart, forgive me for saying, but...this neighborhood isn't exactly the safest place for your family to be. I...I don't say it to be rude or unfeeling, I say it for sake of honest truth. You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you'd like. We have a spare room you can stay in, and...Miley can bunk with me. Don't worry about paying; mom won't take money. She wants you two to be safe, and now that I have a car and a part-time job, she's probably worried she'll get lonely. Come stay with us. No strings attached."

He closed his eyes, letting his head hang just the slightest bit. Miley felt a deep emotional seed of sadness and anxiety that matched the likeness of her father's. She rubbed his bicep comfortingly, the way he'd said her mother used to do.

"Come on, daddy. Let's go with Lilly."

He sighed a bit shakily, but nodded. "I just want to keep my baby girl safe."

"Then let's be safe at Lilly's."

"Alright, bud. I'll get our things ready. When...when should we join you?"

"Anytime after today is perfectly fine. Mom just wanted one day to settle in and get used to the house on wheels. But you're perfectly welcome to come tomorrow."

Lilly smiled at him reassuringly. He managed a weak half-smile back, eyes glazed. "I'll clean up, then...and get our things together. Go...go take my daughter and have a fun day. And, Lilly...tell your mother thank you. She doesn't know what it means to us."

Lilly nodded, still maintaining her warm smile. "You're very welcome, Mr. Stewart. I'll bring Miley back sometime this evening before ten."

He nodded and stepped back. "Have fun, bud."

Miley blinked, still shocked out of her mind, but leaned over to give her daddy a hug. "I will, daddy. Take it easy."

He nodded and chuckled softly before releasing her. Miley skipped off the porch and hopped and bounced her way to Lilly's car, a gift given toward the end of the summer as incentive to strive for grades as good as her previous year's. Miley knew her blonde-haired girlfriend was dangerously proud of her car and as such had kept it in pristine condition since its purchase, though Miley never minded: Lilly was just as dangerously proud of her girlfriend, and made sure to attend to her needs as much as her car's and her grades'. Miley slid into the passenger seat and giggled as Lilly started the car, a small but pleased smile on her face.

"'atta girl," the blonde cooed. Miley hid her laughter behind her hand and gazed determinedly out the window. She knew that Lilly had seen, but it left her unperturbed. Lilly knew she was being a bit silly but cared not one iota about whosoever would be foolish enough to pass judgment. Truth be told, Miley found it quite darling that her friend, who loved to eat, skateboard, and act like a boy knew how to be compassionate and caring. They had both agreed that boys were pigs. Boys were bad news. They were all about broken hearts and quick bouts of meaningless casual sex. Girls were sentimental. Spiritual. Engrossed in their surroundings. Plus, they could love with all their heart and mean it. Boys were liars.

Still, Lilly acting like one didn't necessarily mean she was one. Miley knew that. No boy could ever do what Lilly did to her, not emotionally, spiritually, physically, especially sexually...

Fuck. She felt her internal body temperature rise several degrees. Time to change the tracks for this train of thought.

"So, what's got you so quiet, Miley?" Lilly asked, a miffed expression on her face.

"Oh, just...thinking," she replied softly, a hint of a blush on her cheeks. She caught Lilly's stymied look out of the corner of her eye and fought hard with herself to ignore it and keep the blood from coloring her face. Consequently, the heat in her belly grew. One spark always seemed to lead to another with Lilly.

"Maybe some music will loosen you up," Lilly chirped, popping in a disc. Miley had caught a glance at the top; it looked like a recordable disc that Lilly had burned from her computer. Miley immediately recognized the first four notes of the first song: it was a song that had to be blotted out on the radio because of its frequent metaphorical references to a couple of girls having sex. She very nearly twitched in her seat, her body feeling more and more like an oven with each passing minute. No, not an oven, a boiler. It was full to the brim of scalding water, and was only getting more and more hot with each passing moment. It was only a matter of time before Miley exploded from tension and arousal. Perhaps Lilly knew. Perhaps it was a coincidence. She spared a cautious, cursory glance at her girlfriend. Nothing showed on the blonde's face save a very pleased expression, but then again, she _was _singing along to the track.

Miley stared out the window and bit her lip. Lilly was either totally clueless or knew that she was literally torturing her girlfriend from within as they sat in the car together, for the first song ended and the second one started, one by a different artist, this time male, that described a hot, sweaty, hormone-charged dance floor. She could almost feel the electricity in the air. Too much more and she would explode from the pressure. Easy, Miley. Breathe. Relax.

She jumped as Lilly laid a cool hand on her bare forearm, the touch sending poisonous bolts of static charge through her arm, arresting the rapid-but-even beat of her heart. She felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes slightly glassy as she gazed at her girlfriend's curious face. There was only one other face that Lilly could make that would get Miley to give her whatever the blonde desired, and Miley knew that if Lilly made that face, it was checkmate for her. She would take Lilly, then and there, no matter what the occasion or location.

"Miley, are you okay?"

She blinked and nodded slowly, trying to ignore the coiling energy building under the surface of the skin that Lilly touched. The instant her hand left Miley's arm to spin the steering wheel, the blast hit her below the navel, and she felt her body temperature increase several more degrees. The boiler was beginning to shake. Miley could not take much more of what Lilly did to her. It was tortuously sweet and innocent of her girlfriend, and she believed that the blonde had no idea, but _fuck_, it was so hard to control.

They arrived at Lilly's house and pulled in the driveway, though Miley had not noticed, not even when the car lurched to a gentle halt and pitched her forward into the seatbelt harness. She was blind to all but the near-unbearable pressure within her body. She didn't know if Lilly was aware of how badly she needed the blonde to release her. Somehow, she managed to unhook the seatbelt and open the door to the car, shutting it gently as she stood on the driveway. She kept her thighs relatively close together, worried that with as wet as she was she would soak her already-flooded panties, leaving a trail of excitement down her leg. While nothing would be a more clear indicator to Lilly, it would also be incredibly embarrassing to Miley.

The front door shut behind the blonde as she stepped in. Miley had already crossed into the space where the dining room, living room, and hallway all joined as one small three foot by three foot nexus. She attempted to relax, but nothing happened. Nothing she did helped.

Lilly tapped her shoulder. She spun, gazing at the slightly shorter blonde. Lilly tilted her head to the side, brows furrowed slightly.

"Miley, you don't look so good."

The brunette chuckled, though it sounded more a low, animal-like growl. She brought her flaming hands up to cup Lilly's cool cheeks, and the blonde gasped with a whoosh of air that was just faintly audible even in the dead silence of the house.

"No, Lilly, I don't," she replied hoarsely, her voice thick and layered with honey-coated arousal. "I don't look good at all. I don't feel good either. I feel like I'm gonna explode."

Lilly gulped, and Miley thought she caught recognition in the blonde's sparkling aquamarine eyes. "Do you know why I'm like this, Lilly? Can you fathom the reason?"

The blonde squeaked slightly as Miley brushed away a stray ribbon of hair, the pad of her thumb just barely grazing over the smooth, pale cheek. Miley felt the blonde shake her head slightly between her hands and grinned wickedly. That innocent, slightly frightened look was mildly amusing with Miley, given her present state of mind; any other time and she'd have comforted the girl.

"You, Lilly. You've been on my mind all morning. You've made me like this. You..." her left hand slid down and gently snagged Lilly's right, sliding it up the brunette's thigh, "...have made me..." she brought the blonde's delicate, quivering hand to rest right overtop her blazing crotch and nearly cried in agony at the torturous roiling of her body within, the barely present touch of the thin, nimble fingers against her sex so tantalizing and so painful to her, "...so, so hot..." she slid her hips gently forward along the blonde's fingers and gasped, releasing the shaky breath as the fingers against the blonde's cheek curled and flexed before returning to holding the girl's face gently in her grasp. She slid her other hand back up and rested it on the side of Lilly's neck and held it there, her head slightly tucked down, forehead resting against Lilly's, breathing shallow and quick.

"Lilly...I need you...right here, right now. I can't wait any longer..."

She felt the blonde swallow. "Right here? I-in the entrance to my house? Can we move to-"

"Lilly," she commanded, eyes still closed, voice harsh and hoarse and deadly serious, breath catching in pants and clots. "I need you. Now."

She opened her eyes and watched as Lilly blinked, her eyes growing misty in thought before clearing, lust and affection clearly carved into her irises.

"Now, Miley?"

"_Right _now, Lilly. No bullshit."

The blonde copped a grin that could rival that of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat. Miley had no time to brace herself as Lilly ripped her panties down and flicked her fingers up into the girl's steamy pussy, could not clamp down on the elated cry of gratitude and triumph, could not prevent her legs from their reflexive spasm shut on Lilly's hand, but she ground down into the welcome intruder and hung onto her girlfriend with all the strength she could muster that wasn't focused on staving off the fast-approaching pin that would pop her orgasmic bubble.

Lilly nuzzled her nose gently against Miley's, but none of the arousal or tension left her body. She finally reopened her eyes and gazed at Lilly helplessly but commandingly, something that caused the blonde to bite her lip.

"You're seriously wet, Miley."

Miley nodded, not taking her eyes from the blonde before her. The helplessness disappeared and another bone-crushing spasm rocked her body, biting Lilly's fingers so hard that the blonde blinked and flexed instinctively. Miley kept her eyes open but gritted her teeth and suppressed the viciously hot water within the thin aluminum boiler. It nearly exploded out of her control, but she stemmed the perilously-hot flow, feeling a single trickle run down the inside of her right thigh. She knew Lilly could feel it too, could feel it with the side of the hand she'd half-buried within the sweet sex of her girlfriend. Miley could not think, could not speak, could only act, and forced her hand up her girlfriend's shirt, wrenching it and the bra underneath up above the pert, shapely breasts that she adored so much. She constantly wished that her breasts had the sag-proof quality that Lilly's did, but that mattered little to her at that moment. Her left hand engulfed Lilly's right breast and squeezed, kneading it hard much like a cat, tugging at the perfectly-shaped bud of her nipple, feeling it harden instantly in her touch, listening to Lilly's breath hitch. It all fueled her fire even further and she wanted nothing more than to drag the blonde to bed and fuck her until she came and not stop fucking her until she passed out.

Miley practically clawed at her girlfriend's chest, making her desire apparent and ever-present. She felt Lilly retracting her two fingers almost painfully slowly, and could not help the pained grimace that crossed her face.

She had reacted too soon.

In less than the blink of an eye, Lilly had slammed her fingers as deep as they would go and curled them over, scrubbing and crushing the backside of Miley's sex, the sweet spot within her, the button that only Lilly could push, knew how to push, and had pushed. It was enough.

Miley tensed, but she had already lost it. Lilly flicked her fingers and dug them into her spot once again, and it was enough. She screamed, her pussy exploding in heat and ecstasy as her body unleashed a torrent of hot, sticky spray that soaked Lilly's hand and her own panties. Her knees went weak, her legs turned to mush, and her body crumpled over as she fell to the floor, off of Lilly's hand, away from the blonde's gentle touch, still spraying everything within reach, and she was screaming with wild abandon and pleasure and gratitude and satisfaction that she'd finally gotten what she'd wanted upon waking up that morning, that Lilly had unlocked her release and given her permission for it. She writhed on the floor, twitching and vibrating and pulsing in her own orgasmic pleasure, the puddle beneath her growing even as her body slowly weakened its tirade. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her breathing was short and shallow, and her body flexed and pulsed uncontrollably on the tile floor, hot sticky mess everywhere beneath her and around her.

She heard a light squish and her eyes slid open just enough to recognize Lilly crouched beside her in socks.

"You soaked my shoes, Miley," she whispered with a small smile, her shirt still drawn up to expose her breasts, nipples taut and standing tall in excitement.

The brunette attempted to nod, to smile, to blush, to do something to acknowledge Lilly's confession of the truth, but could do nothing more than lie on the floor and twitch, vibrate, jerk erratically as her mind continued to flood her body with endorphins and estrogen, making her feel warm and fuzzy all over, with lightning bolts of energy shattering her control and leaving her incapable of proper movement. She blinked randomly, still attempting to gaze at Lilly with glassed eyes, for her breath was gone and the blonde was all she could see, save the white room she was lost in. She could hear the clock ticking noisily in the background as she struggled to regain control of her breathing, listening to Lilly's gentle inhale and exhale of breath as a guide. She needed air or she would pass out from asphyxiation, and that would be a piss poor way of repaying her girlfriend for being so apt and prompt in setting her free.

Slowly, painstakingly slowly, she managed to regain control over her limbs and her respiration, reveling quietly in the moment, gazing in wonder at her girlfriend. With a shaking hand, she reached for Lilly's cheek, feeling her knuckles brush against the erect nipples as it passed by, watching the girl bite her lip and shiver visibly at the erotic contact. She scooped the blonde's cheek into her hand and managed a relaxed smile, which was returned to her.

"Thank you...Lilly...I love you so much," she whispered, a very breathy inflection imbued into her dialect. She watched as Lilly gained a light blush to her cheeks and felt herself smiling inwardly, for she knew how being soft and delicate and quiet and secretive was also such a killer to her girlfriend's resistance. She blinked lazily and gently pulled Lilly forward, causing the blonde to kneel in her pool of spray, head approaching Miley's. The blonde paused confusedly.

"Kiss me, silly," Miley begged, her voice quiet and full of air. She watched Lilly's resolve cave and the blonde touched their lips together, the passion and love roiling and colliding and latching onto their hearts and fulfilling an untended ache, one that neither realized they'd even had. Lilly pulled back after a brief moment and blinked, eyes wide. Miley still smiled at her lazily from the floor.

"Jesus, Miley, where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

The brunette blinked and shrugged, not having any answer. The blonde swallowed.

"We need to get to my room. If I get any hotter or more wet, this tile's gonna look like we had a flood come through. Mom won't like that very much as a welcome home present."

Miley almost laughed. "Well, I hope your bed's waterproof, then, Lilly...because I'm not going to stop making you feel good until you pass out."

* * *

><p><strong><em>The first words for the beginning of the next chapter are "True to her word, Miley left an exhausted, unconscious Lilly lying peacefully and happily in her bed after two hours of making her scream and giggle uncontrollably in pleasure." So, yes, Miley is quite the lover, I suppose...in this story, at any rate. Anyways, I'm sorry for the wait, and if I lag on uploading Chapter 5, I'm sorry in advance. I love all you guys. ~Kyttin<em>**


	5. When Shadows Surrender

_**A/N: It only took me two weeks to write the four thousand words here. The document upload editor thingy says that there's only 3969, but Microsoft Word claims 4775. I don't know which is right, but it matters not to me. What matters is that I have this up for you guys. Hopefully I've not cut anything out of this chapter as a result of using Word to open a .odt file. Let me know if there are any gaps in flow (other than the lapses) and I will be sure to post the missing material.**_

_**SGM: At times I wonder if I'm only writing this story for you. Then again, I have been majorly slacking, and my motivation to write hasn't been as high as I've seen it go in past days. Five thousand words used to be one sentence; now, it's a lifetime. Ah well. Anyways, I'm glad you think I'm trying not to focus on the vulgarity and obscenity of sex; I could, and have, used it as a weapon and a motivator, but this time, it was about the desire for one another. Glad you caught it. Umm...the money wasn't what I was getting at. I forgot to state so in the chapter where the house was empty...Miley noticed cleanliness. What was missing were photographs of the family, photos that had been there from the previous story (if I ever mentioned them, which I highly doubt). Symbolic, but unmentioned, and altogether unnecessary to understand the remainder of the context. Following that, the arrangement. Robbie continues to question it. There's dialogue between him and his daughter later in this chapter on that very subject, as I felt I had done neither character's true feelings justice by just letting it go in the previous chapter. Thanks for bringing it up, though; keeps me on my toes. :D**_

_**kram: Glad to see you're entertained. RJS is at the end of this chapter in the last four or five paragraphs, but it's not explicitly stated whether or not it has good intentions or bad ones. I don't know that I'd call its feeling "love", per se...not with as little as I've revealed just yet. If you pay really good attention to when I introduce its character, you find out what gender and what relation it has. ;)**_

_**Alright, I've talked enough. Thank you, kram, for the +watchies and the +favies. You're the only one who did in the past two weeks, but that's because most of my other had-been regular readers are probably on vacation or lost interest in the story due to my horrendous lack of motivation. **_

_**But, without further wait or whim, here is the fifth chapter of When Two Become One.  
><strong>_

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: When Shadows Surrender<p>

True to her word, Miley left an exhausted, unconscious Lilly lying peacefully and happily in her bed after two hours of making her scream and giggle uncontrollably in pleasure. As it was close to noon, she decided to make lunch, as the blonde would most likely wake up hungry after the torturous ecstasy she had suffered and enjoyed. The thought of her pleasure brought a smirk to Miley's face. She knew Lilly would get back at her later, but for now she wanted to enjoy the pleasure only she knew how to bring upon her girlfriend.

The kitchen had much more stuff than Miley's own, and she didn't have the slightest idea of where to start looking for utensils and pots and pans. She felt her brows furrow in thought as she gazed slowly around at the pristine countertops and the solid panel of glass that was the stove, the porcelain sink, the sparkling stainless steel refrigerator. She blinked.

_If I were a pan to fry some bacon, where would I be?_

First, she had to _find_ the bacon. One gentle tug on the freezer door changed that immediately, as there was a half-full package of the stuff sitting right on the shelf at eye-level. She let out a low whistle as she looked at all the frozen foods in the freezer and immediately felt a slight pang of regret at being jealous of Lilly's living situation.

Wait.

Lilly had invited her and her father to live with them, as an extension of Heather's invitation. The package of frozen bacon nearly fell from her quivering hands. She would have a home for the first time since her mom had passed away and the house had fallen into ruin. A _home_. The thought chilled her. It also made her love Lilly all the more. That girl was such a blessing to her and she had no way to repay the blonde for her efforts. Making food for her, for the rest of her life, was the absolute least that Miley could – and would most certainly try to – do for her.

The bacon clunked on the counter, sounding more like a brick than like the crunchy crisps she intended to convert them into. She hummed gently as she gazed at the stove. How did daddy used to cook the bacon?

In a pan. A frying pan.

The cupboard to the left of the stove held a cutting board, some corning-ware dishes, and a couple of steel cooking tins. The cupboard to the right of the stove held pots and pans of various sizes, along with all their lids, and a rather odd looking circular object with a wooden handle on the side and a mesh grid in the middle. She frowned slightly at the strange-looking strainer and pulled out a medium-sized pan. She set it on the stove and a screen lit up near Miley's navel. She bent over slightly to read the text:

Temperature level?

She blinked. The stove wanted to know how hot the pan had to be. Right. But what level did bacon fry at?

She glanced around. There was no keypad on the stove. She cleared her throat and three dots appeared. They turned into an X and then disappeared.

"Voice activated," she mused quietly. "Er...four?"

The number four appeared on the screen. It made a clicking noise and a blue flame appeared within the glass surface, directly under the frying pan. She blinked and gazed at it for a moment in wonder.

The warmth from the stove reminded her that she still needed to make the food rather than just stand around and stare, so she moved to the fridge and pulled out a bowl of about six white-shelled eggs. She set them beside the stove and pulled out another frying pan, laying it on another burner. The stove again requested temperature level.

"Three."

A three blinked on the screen and the burner clicked to life. She blinked again at the strangeness of an electronic, voice-activated stove. Then again, Lilly's father had created it.

Her father.

She struggled to push the thought of the man from her mind. Since he'd left, Lilly's life had been nothing short of miserable, as with his departure also came the loss of her brother and the disappearance of her mother. Even if her mother was only temporary and would be rejoining her daughter that evening, Miley had seen through Lilly's well-played facade and knew the pain her girlfriend was feeling at the unexpected circumstances she found herself in.

But her mother was coming back. That was another small circle. And she would heal and walk and run and jump and laugh once again, as she had before, and that too was a small circle. Everything seemed to flow in circles. Like time. And blenders. Even cookies were round. And wheels. And bottles. And even pebbles were rounded off.

Miley shook her head to rid the thoughts and began laying strips of bacon into the larger pan. They began to sizzle and pop, and some oil struck her high on her left cheekbone. She just barely resisted the urge to cry out in pain and scratched at her cheek in irritation. Stupid bacon oil. Always so hot and with so much sizzle. She wished someone would come up with a way to cook bacon without the popping.

Much like the oil had done, a thought popped into Miley's head. _Could it be...?_

She reopened the cupboard and groped for the pancaked colander. She set it atop the open pan and watched in fascination as it caught the exploding bacon grease.

"Fancy that..." she mumbled. She blinked and held her hand overtop both pans, noting the heat from them both. But if she was going to have food for her soon-to-be hungry girlfriend, she would need to begin frying eggs. And without butter, the eggs stick to the pan.

She grabbed the bowl of butter. Humming idly, she grabbed a spatula and scooped out a sizable chunk, holding the plastic tip of the utensil over the pan. The heat melted the butter away and left only a slightly greasy residue which would later be handy for lifting and flipping the eggs.

_Pop!_

The gurgling bacon was beginning to look more tasty than it had while frozen. Miley reached for a set of clean tongs from the utensil cup to the left of the stove where she'd acquired the spatula and gently lifted the screen from the pan. With quick flicks of her wrist and light flexing of her fingers, the bacon flipped and began cooking on the reverse side, the cooked side looking absolutely delicious. She felt her own stomach growling. That was not a good sign, especially not so early into the cooking. If Lilly weren't on her mind, she'd be eating the whole mess of food she was cooking.

The butter had disappeared, so she lifted the pan and tilted it in all directions, getting the liquid to coat the entire inside of the pan's surface. Lithe fingers slipped around a delicate egg and, with one quick squeeze to its belt-line, split the shell away from the yolk overtop the pan. She smiled as it dripped past her fingers and pitched the shell into the trashcan standing by the wall two feet to her right. Cracking eggs with her fingers had been something her mother had taught her when she was five.

Her mother.

She swallowed. It was not good of her to dwell on the past. She would only wish it had been different, no matter the impossibility. But her mother was gone, forever.

She dug through cupboards and cabinets and a pantry before finding a stack of paper plates, the top two of which she used to hold the cooling bacon as she extricated the strips from the pan, leaving bubbling grease for a half-second before adding more strips to its liquid depths. The egg found itself flipped; time to think about the outside.

Back again to the pantry. Out with a loaf of country buttermilk bread. Miley sniffed delicately at the bread inside its wrap and nearly melted off her feet; buttermilk bread was one of her favorite foods. With great reverence and poise, she slipped two slices from it and slotted them into two of the four open maws of the toaster oven that resided within the counter, inlaid into the material and grouted to keep water from seeping beyond the stainless steel outer panel. A quick tap on the digital backlit screen sucked the two slices down into the counter, the red heat from the coils quickly glowing and reflecting upwards out of the mouths of the ovens as the bread cooked into toast between the gripping teeth.

Miley looked at the toaster for a moment before dragging her finger upwards along the left side of the screen. The bar filled higher and higher until it reached the topmost level possible and Miley blinked, a slight half-smile on her face. The resounding effect would be interesting, to say the least. She then moved to the fridge and pulled out the mayonnaise and a stack of individually-wrapped cheese slices, readying a butter knife for basting and a third paper plate beside the toaster. She then flipped the bacon and lifted the egg out of the frying pan, laying it gently on yet another paper plate to the right of the stove. A second egg cracked and fell into the pan to cook like its brother had, so fluffy and white with the perfectly-rounded sun-colored center.

_Ding!_

Miley spun and lifted the plate beside the toaster very quickly, watching the air, for she'd increased the toaster's spring pressure to launch the toast sky-high, and she reached with the plate to catch both of the slices, spinning on her heel as she did so, and finally regaining her balance right in front of a gaping, bewildered Lilly. Miley took in the sight of her clouded blue eyes, the way her hair tangled and stuck up oddly out the back of her head, the slight discoloration of the circles beneath her eyes, the way she was only half-wearing her purple and blue bathrobe and was minus any other article of clothing beneath, and the way her entire expression asked, _how in the HELL did you do that?_

Miley winked and grinned at her stunned girlfriend. "Figured I'd make you some food while you were out. Didja sleep well?"

The blonde shook her head quickly to rid herself of the shock and sat down on a stool at the counter which rounded the wall to the left of the stove. "I guess it was alright...I kinda missed having someone to cuddle with when I woke up, though."

Miley giggled as she spread the mayonnaise evenly over the two halves of the toasted pre-sandwich. "I guess you also kinda missed going commando during your sleep, huh?" she jibed while laying two slices of cheese onto one of the slices of toast. She turned her head just in time to see her girlfriend tighten her robe to cover one slightly-exposed breast, the small pale hands tugging at the cloth belt around her waist as a knot formed to hold the fabrics together.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Miley. You can't say you didn't like what you saw."

"I never said that," the brunette returned cheekily, grabbing for an egg and several slices of bacon. "What I _will _say, however, is that you can't say you didn't like how you felt not long ago."

The blonde yawned. In Miley's opinion, it seemed somewhat forced, owing to the fact that a somewhat prominent twinge of pink had graced the blonde's cheeks. Deft hands finished the sandwich and a quick slice from the knife and a _crunch _from the bread split the sandwich in half neatly for Lilly's enjoyment. She shoved the plate toward her girlfriend before turning around and grabbing two more slices of bread, slotting them into the waiting jaws of the toaster.

"Eat up, Lilly. Can't have my girl being hungry or tired, can I?"

"She's a little of both," the blonde responded. A second later, Miley heard the satisfying sound of a bite being taken of the toasted sandwich, followed by a light, very faint moan as the food rolled around the blonde's mouth from behind Miley's back. She resisted the urge to giggle and contented herself with a small knowing smile. This was the third meal she'd ever made for the blonde, and every single meal had left the girl full and stunned into silence. Miley, too, was always a tad bit astonished, but she'd learned a great deal when she was younger. It seemed odd to her, though, that the girl with no food in her house should know how to cook in a way that some referred to as gourmet-style. Just odd, not unfortunate. She'd always seen her living situation as an opportunity to strive for better.

The toaster rang again and Miley hurriedly caught the pieces successfully on yet another paper plate, basting them evenly with mayonnaise before laying out more cheese, egg, and bacon. The second sandwich split like its sibling and joined Lilly's first sandwich on the plate, which the girl had already halfway consumed. Feeding Lilly was always a chore within itself, but it was made easier by the fact that Miley knew exactly what foods filled a person and what foods left them wanting more. Most wheat and grain products, those loaded with carbohydrates, filled a person. Protein and sugar usually didn't. An egg-bacon-and-cheese sandwich was a very healthy respect for both sides of the hunger chart, but even Miley knew that Lilly would eat no more than two even on her most starved of days because no matter how hard the blonde tried to digest the food to consume more of the deliciousness, it was always a losing fight; Miley and Heather had both perfected the art of forming a sandwich that would delay hunger for extensive lengths of time. It was both an art-form and a specialty.

Thus, when Miley made herself a sandwich and shut all the cooking instruments off, and when she finally took her first bite as Lilly swallowed her last, she was met with the comforting sight of a very satisfied girlfriend slumped slightly against the counter, the plate covered in crumbs but pushed toward the wall, her elbows holding her chin up as she _tsk_-ed away the food left caught between her teeth, eyes focused on the dead spot of air just over Miley's left shoulder. It left the brunette with some time to admire the girl silently as she chewed through the mass of delicate, savory flavors.

She wondered what Lilly could be thinking. Nothing seemed to be on the blonde's face, no emotion or whim of any sort. And yet, Miley still wished she knew what the girl was thinking. It wasn't so hard to read the blonde on most days, but today was different. Today she seemed…distant. Perhaps just thinking about her mother. Perhaps just tired. Perhaps none of that at all.

Slowly, the sandwich disappeared. Miley dusted her fingers and threw away the plates. She suppressed a burp and licked her lips absently, tasting the leftover grease from the food. She began then moving the pans and utensils from the stove to the sink, where she mixed dish soap and hot tap water to create a soapy mess of cleaning liquid that immediately feasted on the leftover crumbs and grease spots. As a result, Miley only had a very small amount of scrubbing to do to clean the dishes off entirely before resting them gently on the towel on the counter. She turned to see Lilly still cleaning her teeth, still in her contemplative state. A light frown creased Miley's features, though it was one of slight amusement.

"What's wrong, Lilly?"

The blonde blinked and gazed slowly at Miley, finally registering her presence once again. She swallowed thickly and licked her lips.

"That was probably the best sandwich I've ever eaten."

Miley giggled. "After the best chain of orgasms you've ever felt?"

The blonde swallowed again and nodded. "The absolute best. I needed that, Miley."

"Not as much as I needed you first," she retorted with a wink and a smile.

"What did I ever do to get so lucky to have you?" Lilly wondered aloud.

"Lilly, I ask myself that question every day. I don't deserve you. I don't deserve this. I deserve what I've been given and what I've worked for."

Lilly smiled and blinked slowly. "You worked for it today, Miley. You made me food after making me feel so good. I gave myself to you. You do deserve it. If anything, _I _don't deserve _you_."

Miley scoffed. "Please. You could have any girl you wanted."

"But there's only one girl I want. Didn't you ever bother to ask yourself why?"

Miley stepped closer, for Lilly's words had fallen to just above a whisper. "I have, and I don't understand it."

"Because I love you, Miley. Because you're perfect for me. You're amazing and special and so, so sweet and caring."

Legs quivered like jell-o. Miley had to hold onto the counter to steady herself. Nobody else made her feel that way. Ever. And oh, what a feeling it was. She had one impulse.

And the kiss that followed joined them together in a way neither could describe or explain or even fully understand.

_(time lapse)_

A short, silent drive to the hospital found Miley holding Lilly's hand as they strode through the automatic sliding doors. They were loathe to part from the mid-afternoon sunshine's warm rays, comparative to the noticeably cooler hospital lobby, but they had a mission to accomplish, and the sun would surely be there to greet them once they'd completed their task.

"Hello, how may we help you?" an attractive woman asked from behind the reception counter.

"I'm here to see my mother, Heather Truscott. I was informed that today is her release day."

The woman pushed a string of keys on her keyboard and blinked as she stared at the screen. She clucked her teeth.

"Right. Are you Lilly?"

"Yes ma'am."

The woman nodded and clucked her tongue against her teeth. "Alright. You know where her room is. The doctor went in there a few minutes go, so she should be getting settled into her wheelchair if she hasn't already. You're welcome to join her."

"Thank you much, ma'am."

Miley allowed herself to be led down a hall to an array of elevators. The blonde on her arm kicked at the button in the middle of the quartet and immediately the rightmost set of doors opened. They stepped into the empty lift and watched silently as the doors shut. Lilly pushed the button for the fourth floor and then turned to Miley.

"Slow elevator…" she mumbled. Miley swallowed, gazing into the sparkling blue eyes before her. Without a second thought they merged identities as they ran their fingernails across the other's scalp, hands rubbing and massaging backs, mouths intertwined so tightly and securely that the heat between them turned the lift into a furnace, slowly rising to the surface to relieve pressure before it exploded from within.

_Ding._

They separated evenly, regarding the other with an almost desperate gleam, wishing they had time for more. But it was Lilly who made the move, broke the mood, even as the elevator doors stood open, beckoning them into the hall. They moved swiftly away from the carriage and over to a door marked 424. Lilly gently twisted the handle and nudged the door, which swung in lightly on well-oiled hinges. The sight of Heather Truscott, smiling gently from a brand-new wheelchair, met both girls simultaneously, and it was without a second thought that they moved forward into the room.

But Lilly paused.

Miley knew why. She knew that Lilly was afraid of re-injuring her mother by giving her a long-awaited embrace. She could only see the back of her lover's head, but she could imagine the look of pure blissful joy on the blonde's face, a look mirrored by her mother.

"Mom…" Lilly croaked.

"Lilly…They say I can go home now."

The blonde nodded shakily. "You…You're gonna be alright, mom…"

Heather nodded and smiled gently. "I know, Lilly. I know."

Slowly, daughter walked to meet mother, and open arms were closed around the other in gratitude and appreciation.

"Let's…let's get you home," Lilly mumbled, maneuvering gently behind the wheelchair. Miley held the door open and stepped out of the vehicle's way. The older blonde realized that Miley was nearby and grasped hold of the girl, startling the chocolatey locks into confusion.

"I hope Lilly passed on my invitation for you and your family."

Miley nodded, feeling the beginnings of tears pricking the inner corners of her eyes. "You're so kind to offer us so much."

The brunette felt more than saw the woman's fingers lace with hers. "No, Miley. It's the least I could offer. You've kept Lilly in school and with a decent attitude these past few weeks. I want to return the favor for you."

She swallowed and nodded, her curls bouncing slightly as they swung. The wheelchair moved forward past the threshold, but stopped after the door shut behind it. Lilly giggled.

"What on earth is so funny?"

"The last time I was involved with anything related to a wheelchair, I was the one sitting in it, and you were the one helping me. Now _I'm _helping _you_. It's backwards."

A ripple of amusement broke through Miley's form as she watched the blonde heads wiggle with laughter. She had to admit, Lilly was right, and the symmetry between the past and the present was striking. She followed Lilly from a slight distance, giving her a comforting moment where she could get lost in wheeling her mother's chair around.

The shadow leaned against the wall, wearing street clothes to keep from being easily noticeable. It held a newspaper between its hands, open to the editorials and sports articles, but its eyes were focused instead on the retreating forms of the girls. It had remained inconspicuous and unnoticed very successfully. It knew already of Heather's offer to Miley and her father, for it had been to the hospital one other time to pay anonymous respects and blessing to the woman, and had happened to catch the tail end of the conversation as it placed flowers in a vase on the end table, appearing for all the world like another nurse or a doctor minus a labcoat. It sighed and folded the newspaper back into fourths before rolling it and sliding it back under its arm. It knew that any later than that day would be too late. It had to make its move on the Stewart family. The time was right.

_It's now or never._

_(time lapse)  
><em>

"So, bud, how was the hospital?"

"It was alright. Very clean and shiny."

"And how was Lilly's mom?"

"Mrs. Truscott was very happy to see us. She even asked if Lilly had passed along her offer for us."

The man sighed and folded his newspaper in half, looking across the table at his daughter with an expression that almost mirrored sadness. "Miley, you know we can't live with them."

"What? Why not?"

"Because it wouldn't be right," he explained soothingly. He looked just as uncomfortable as she felt. "Look, I appreciate her offer and I wish I could say yes, but I can't do it. Not in good conscience. It'd be like stealing from them, living offa their hard work and accomplishment. It wouldn't be right."

Miley sighed. "But da-ad…Lilly's mom could use the company, and Lilly can't do it all by herself."

He hesitated before setting his paper down on the table. "I've been thinkin' bout it all day, bud," he spoke calmly, voice low. "I know they need some help and all, but it's not our place. We'd be spongin' offa their fruits and not ours."

Miley both loved and hated her father for what he said. She admired her father for being so courteous of others and for not wanting to impose, but at the same time, she wanted to shake him and make him realize how much they both needed to get out of the area.

The silence was deafening if it was momentary. Miley sighed again.

"Dad…this could be the one time we have to live a different life. Lilly's mom offered this to us. She knows what she's offering. She knows about us, about all this. Lilly's told her. It's not like the girl has kept it from her family. We're _dating_, dad. We can't keep stuff like that from each other."

"It's not that, Miley. It just wouldn't be right for us to be there when their living situation is so delicate."

"It wouldn't be right if we were there and everything was just peachy-keen, dad!" Her voice had risen in frustration and urge. "You'd never think it's alright for us to be there. This isn't Tennessee, dad. We don't live there anymore. We don't live where the dirt is good and the crops are green, the sky is blue and the horses run free. We live where people die and get raped every night, where money runs the world, where most people, good and honest as they may be, don't give others around them the opportunity, the privilege, that Mrs. Truscott has extended to us. They don't care enough. They don't care about us, dad. She does. I love you with all my heart and I'd never trade you for anything, but damn it, dad, you aren't doing anyone any favors by letting your pride stand in the way!"

"Miley Ray, I'll not have you cursing at me like that. I raised you better."

"Then listen to me the way you raised me to listen to you. Listen to what I have to say, what Lilly's said, what Heather's said. Us girls, we all agree. We get it. There is no question here: we all four need each other. Not just want, dad. _Need_. It's a need, daddy, and it won't go away or get smaller unless you give in to it and let a little piece of someone else into your heart."

"I did that once," he replied quietly. "She died, Miley. Remember?"

The brunette fell silent, the rebuttal dying in her throat along the way. She knew. She knew as much as her father. Her mother had been there for her through everything, and then one day wasn't. It had been the most stressful, most exhausting, most anguishing day of Miley's life, and she did not want to live through another like it. She didn't think she could handle another.

"Dad," she coaxed, swallowing thickly around the lump in her throat. "I know you're trying, cowboy. I get that. But one person can only do so much. You have to trust me on this one. You have to come with me. You have to listen to Mrs. Truscott. This kind of opportunity doesn't knock every day."

No sooner had the words left her lips than a small, quiet triplet of knocks rang out on the door, echoing somewhat in the suddenly-silenced kitchen. Robbie stood up, pushing the chair out away from him in the process.

"It's not easy for me, bud. With your mother gone and your brother out God knows where…you're all I have left."

Miley reached for his forearm as he moved toward the door. He paused, regarding her somewhat unsteadily.

"Let the Truscotts in, dad. They won't hurt you. They won't leave you."

He swallowed. "I'll think on it, bud. I can't make any promises, though."

"It's all I can ask, daddy. Now go open the door."

The man moved to the door and Miley heard it open easily. She heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Good evening, sir. My name is Rodney Stone with Stoneman Architecture and I've come to ask if you're interested in any of our construction services."

There was a pause. Then, "What the _hell _is going on here?"

It had been her father who had yelled. Though, there was something about the voice from the door…something strange. She stood up and slid up behind her father, looking under his arm to investigate.

"Good evening, miss. I, err…don't suppose I can come in? It's a bit cold out here."

Miley was stunned as she looked at Rodney Stone. And then she realized, and she gasped just as her father had.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Frustrating of me, isn't it? To leave a dead-cold drop off like that. Ooooh, I'm such a bad boy. Haha. Yeah, like I care. Don't worry, I'll begin to slowly reveal the meat of this story next chapter. Hopefully it hasn't spoiled from waiting so long to be devoured. At this point in time, I don't plan on writing a third book to this. It's just too much work to have to focus on one story for so long. Though I've contemplated ficlets and drips and drabs of other ideas. One involves a number of mini-stories that all start the same way but have vastly different endings due to circumstance. Another was a horror, and yet another was supposed to be one that makes you HATE me for writing it. Rambles aside, I love all you guys, and I hope to see more reading and reviewing soon in the future (assuming I can pull the next chapter around rather quickly, that is). ~Kyttin<em>**


	6. A Word From The Author

_**Hello, Kyttin here again. I'm so sorry for departing, my lovelies, but unfortunately, my inspiration dissipated and, well, fell to pieces. I didn't have any motivation to continue any unfinished works here on the site, but I trust that you'll forgive me when I say that I have a reason.**_

_**Now, I have some business to attend to. First, I must cover which story this is for and why. This is not a chapter update; this is more like my farewell of sorts to the incomplete work. This story is When Two Become One, correct? **_

_**Well, it's been left unfinished because I didn't have the patience to write out everything I wanted to say. Rodney J. Stone was, in fact, Jackson Stewart under a pseudonym he legally adopted shortly after leaving the Stewart residence for higher ground. I did have an entire story mapped out, but perhaps that was my downfall: I knew exactly how I wanted everything to piece together, rather than just writing the story on the fly the way I did with Never Give In. If I get enough requests in my inbox (or reviews on this piece), I'll be quite certain to post for you the synopsis of the story I intended to write. However, at this point in time, I'll not let out my knotted web. **_

_**Thus, you have the explanation for When Two Become One. I'm terribly sorry I wasn't around to finish the story off, but if someone wishes to adopt this piece and write the work, either as I depict or as you please, then please, I encourage the creativity with only the small request that you credit me as your original source for this story. I again apologize for my disappearance, but I shall clearly and openly state that I've begun a new work, a Jimmy Neutron fanfic which is already 8,363 words long in Chapter 1 alone, and I'm looking for beta readers. The first three people to message me (or post replies; one per recently-completed story that isn't Never Give In) will become betas for me, but I WARN YOU NOW: the story is hard to stomach. It's not a bad piece, just a lot to take in.**_

_**Since my rant here is done, I wish you all the best and that you keep reading and writing to your hearts' content. I love all you guys and I'll see you soon.**_

_**~Kyttin**_


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